The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who drowned in Redwood Creek after a rafting accident Friday afternoon as 33-year-old Jonathan Walsh Mellon, of Eureka. “We’re viewing this as an unfortunate accident,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Ernie Stewart, adding he doesn’t anticipate any criminal investigation stemming from Mellon’s death. According to the sheriff’s office, […]
Emergency
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Fire Breaks Out in Squires Building
February is shaping up to be a bad month for Floyd and Betty Squires. First, last week, the city of Eureka shuttered the couple’s Blue Heron Lodge, arguing the 15-unit building was operating in violation of the city’s problem motel ordinance. Then, early this morning, fire broke out at the couple’s apartment building in the […]
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Kayaker Drowns in ‘Terrible Tragedy’
A 24-year-old San Francisco woman drowned Sunday morning while kayaking on the Eel River with a group of friends. Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Roy Horton said the woman, identified as Samantha Dweck, originally from Carlisle, Massachusetts, was with a group of about two dozen people that are members of a San Francisco running club that […]
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EPD Investigating Fatal Broadway Crash
A senior citizen was killed Sunday evening when he walked into traffic on Broadway and was hit by a Ford van, according to Eureka police. Oudom Douangdoa, 72, of Eureka, was believed to be walking westbound across Broadway about 40 feet north of the intersection with McCullen Avenue at about 6:18 p.m. when he was […]
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Arson Suspected in Summer Street Fire
Humboldt Bay Fire investigators suspect arson was the cause of a blaze Saturday that destroyed a home in the 800 block of Summer Street, and has forwarded the case onto the Eureka Police Department. Chris Emmons, a battalion chief with Humboldt Bay Fire, declined to discuss the specifics of how his department deemed the fire […]
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UPDATED: Coroner IDs Fortuna Crash Victim
UPDATE: The woman killed by her own car in a Fortuna accident Monday has been identified as 32-year-old Victoria Pruett, according to Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Trevor Enright, who said Pruett died of blunt force trauma. PREVIOUSLY: The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has yet to publicly identify the woman killed in a single-vehicle crash Monday […]
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UPDATE: Worker Killed in Mill Accident
The coroner’s office identified the victim of yesterday’s industrial accident as 64-year-old Mike Vander Veen of Forest Hill, California. The cause of death appears to be accidental electrocution, according to the office, and an autopsy is scheduled for Jan. 8. Deputy Coroner Trevor Enright declined to say who Vander Veen was working for, citing an […]
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Long-Time Weather Boss Retires
After 36 years with the National Weather Service — 20 of those as the meteorologist in charge at the Eureka Weather Forecast Office on Woodley Island — Nancy Dean has retired. Her last day was today. “She’s been a great boss,” said Troy Nicolini on the phone this afternoon. “I feel really thankful. … I’ve […]
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Batten Down the Hatches
The North Coast is about to be battered with bad weather — exciting, we know, and California needs water — but that means dangerous conditions for the outdoors-minded among us. High surf, strong winds and lots of rain are expected to land tonight and continue through late Thursday/early Friday. The National Weather Service issued a […]
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Plane Crash Investigation Continues; Autopsy Scheduled for Tomorrow
The Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate a small plane crash near Garberville on Friday that killed Jerold Phelps Community Hospital’s chief emergency room doctor. Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Roy Horton said an autopsy has been scheduled for tomorrow to determine the exact cause of death for Douglas Todd Pleatman, 59, an El Dorado County […]
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EPD Chief: Shooting Appears Justified
The preliminary findings of an ongoing multi-agency investigation indicate Eureka Police officer Stephen Linfoot was justified when he shot and killed 22-year-old Thomas “Tommy” McClain shortly after midnight on Sept. 17, Police Chief Andy Mills said at a press conference this morning. Mills said McClain was defying officers orders and reaching for a replica handgun […]
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Officers Stand Down at Standoff
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has de-escalated a standoff situation in the Cutten area with a man believed to be having mental health issues. “We had a subject who was mentally unstable and was acting out some — had some violent tendencies — and his parent had some concerns so she called the sheriff’s office,” […]